My 5th Birth story

We are so in love with our new baby girl!  She truly came at the perfect time with just the right people available to help and I wanted to remember all the little miracles that happened along the way.

I must start her birth story about a month before my due date.  The previous month had been a tough one, with all 4 of my girls coming down with a long, miserable virus and many sleepless nights.  Mark and I also came down with sickness, although thankfully not the virus.  Needless to say, I was sleep deprived, utterly exhausted, and my immune system was down.  Shingles chose that unfortunate time to strike and it is honestly the most painful illness I have ever endured.  Between the baby kicking my bladder and the intense pain of the shingles, I could not sleep at all.  Only a month left before our sweet blessing arrived (if she waited that long!), and I could not do anything to get ready.  It hurt to even walk around, let alone clean the house or wash baby clothes.  Also, we had no room for the new baby yet. My husband and his Dad were busy putting up a wall to make a new bedroom for the big girls so the baby could take theirs, but in the meantime, the house was a chaotic construction zone and everything from our former family room (think tons of books and games and art supplies)  was scattered around the house, waiting for me to feel good enough to find new homes for them.  It was a miserable time but we are so thankful for amazing family and friends who brought us meals and helped take care of the girls when I was in too much pain to move.  And we all just prayed hard that Alyssa would stay put until I felt better enough to get the house back in order and be able to take care of her!

Finally, after about 2 1/2 weeks of intense shingles pain, it finally lessened (turned into very frustrating itching)  and I was able to start doing the things I needed to get ready for our baby girl!  It was such a joy to wash her little clothes and finally set up her new room!  But I still didn't feel great and still had much work to do to get the house back in order and continued to pray that she would not come til we were ready.

About a week before her due date, news reports claimed the coming of the biggest/ closest full moon in about 70 years on Monday. The old wives tales say that full moons bring on babies and my delivery nurse friends and chiropractor readily agree.  (My OB, however, says that a change in barometric pressure affects labor the most.)   I began to wonder if it would affect me at all.  My 2nd born had come a week early so it would not be a surprise for this baby to come that early.  I had been experiencing Braxton Hicks since about 15 weeks and they had been stronger and more frequent the past week.  But I really wasn't ready for this baby to come yet...

Sunday morning dawned and my 3 year old seemed sick again... some kind of stomach virus.  And my husband had come down with a miserable sore throat.  I had gotten the baby's room and clothes ready, but had not yet had the time to sort through all the junk from our family room, let alone deep clean the house since my neglect during the shingles.  But regardless of whether I was ready, the pull of the moon brought strong, painful contractions that evening.  My husband was trying to discuss baby names with me and the pain was too much for me to even hold a conversation with him!  I honestly was overcome by fear, once again reminded how much labor hurts.  I just wasn't ready to do this!  I needed my husband healthy and my house straight and my faith stronger.  I went straight to bed and just lay there and ached and prayed the contractions would cease.  I wrote down the times of my contractions and they were pretty constant for about an hour and a half, a lot of times only a couple of minutes apart.  But they didn't grow worse and finally ceased and I drifted off to sleep.  I was so thankful!

The next day, my body seemed to be cleansing itself, getting ready for labor.  But the contractions never returned!  My poor mother-in-law kept her suitcase and make-up in the car all week long, thinking labor would start again and she would need to rush over and take care of the girls.  But God gave me just the week I needed to get everyone healthy, my house clean and straight, and my courage revived.

(Note: many people have wondered why I chose to birth at a hospital this time rather than the birthing center I used last time.  It was a purely financial decision.  I absolutely loved the birthing center and my midwife and would go there again in a heartbeat, but our insurance changed and we just didn't have the extra almost $2000 it would take to do the birthing center rather than the hospital.  I had heard many good things about this particular OB and after meeting him, I felt he would be perfect for delivering our baby.)

On Friday morning I went to see my OB and he told me he would be on call the next day.  I love my OB (He has 11 kids his wife birthed naturally so he really understands me!) and I knew he would be on vacation for Thanksgiving after that, so I immediately started praying that I would go into labor on Saturday when he was there.  I did a bunch of exercises that are supposed to help spur on labor and texted Mark that I wanted to eat spicy Mexican for dinner since many people affirm that spicy foods help encourage labor.  There is also a particular pizza place in our area known for its patrons going into labor after eating there so I had decided to do lunch there the next day if the Mexican wasn't enough.  Friday afternoon was a gorgeous, amazingly warm day for November and my husband had the idea to take the girls hiking to enjoy the weather.  So we walked trails with some good friends for over an hour and I tried to keep as good a pace as I could.  I was doing everything I could to get this baby out!

Our friends joined us at the Mexican restaurant for dinner and while we were chatting, mentioned an activity going on the next day.  I jokingly said that we wouldn't be able to join them because we were going to be at the hospital to have this baby.  My friend retorted, "Oh yeah?  What time will you be going?"  I responded with, "Oh, about 7am!" as if I had any control over when this baby would come and we all had a good laugh.

After such an exhausting day, I went home and took a shower and went to bed early.  I was a little disappointed because I wasn't having any contractions at all, not even Braxton Hicks!  But I went right to sleep and had the best night's sleep I had enjoyed in a long time.  At 5:23am, however, I was awakened by a sharp pain and just knew it was time.  5:30, 5:34, 5:37, 5:40.  I just knew.  No doubt about it.  This baby was coming.  I went ahead and called the hospital to let them know I was coming and (more importantly) to ask what time my OB came on call.  7:00  Perfect!  The nurse asked how long I had been experiencing contractions and when I said ten minutes there was a big silence on the phone.  It was obvious she didn't believe that I was really in labor.  I said , "Listen, this is my 5th baby and we aren't even coming to the hospital for another hour but I just wanted to let you know and to find out when my OB would be coming in."  She sounded relieved as if in an hour I would realize it wasn't really labor.  I laughed to myself and breathed through contractions and called the grandparents and packed a few things.  I finally woke My husband up around 6am because I was having trouble getting anything done in between contractions and needed his help.  He took a shower and finished doing the things on my list and we were off to the hospital right around 7am!  I later laughed at the irony of our dinner conversation but was in too much pain to think of it at the time.

We got to the hospital and my nurse read my birth plan and said, "I used to be a doula so I think your plan is awesome!"  I almost cried with relief but a contraction came at that moment and I threw my arms around her and groaned as she held me up as we swayed through it together.

After the contraction was over I told her she was an answer to our prayers. (I had wanted a doula but my favorite one was going to be out of town for the holidays and I really hated to pay that much money for a new one when I knew I'd only need her for an hour or so.  So I never asked anyone to help me and had regretted it when the pain of contractions became fierce.)  My nurse Rebecca turned out to be so awesome.  She encouraged me and helped me through my contractions and showed my husband where to push on my back to help relieve the pain.  She is a Christian as well and has volunteered for years at our local crisis pregnancy center and knows many of the same people we do!  It was so wonderful that God placed her in my room when I needed her most!

When my OB came in the first time he checked me and said I was already at 8cm!  My contractions had been quite intense and I was so incredibly relieved to hear I was getting close!  He laughed and said, "I knew if I saw you in this hospital it would be almost baby time!"  I usually walk the halls for hours during labor but by the time the doctors and nurses had finished doing their initial checks, I was pretty far along already! I endured contractions for a bit longer and then started to feel pushy.  I told my nurse/ doula and she checked me and said I was complete!  She left to get the OB and my husband got pretty nervous about the baby coming while everyone was gone.

It seemed to take forever for them to get back!  I was already on the bed on my hands and knees ready to push.  I was also waiting for my Mom.  My parents live an hour away and hadn't expected labor to progress quite that quickly.  Right after the OB and nurse came back and I started pushing, my mom rushed through the door.  She had run the entire way through the hospital and was out of breath but I was so relieved to see her!  She is always the encouragement I need!

Even though I have done this 4 other times, I always forget how to push and how to hold it out long enough to be effective.  The pain just makes it hard to focus at first.  I kept asking if they could see her head yet and it seemed to take forever!  Finally my mom told me she could see it and that baby girl had tons of dark black hair!  That was just the encouragement I needed to push her out!  I was determined to push her out in a single contraction because at my last birth, I pushed out her head and then rested and it seemed to take forever for the next contraction to get the rest of the baby out and my strength had lessened.  So this time I just kept pushing and managed to get her all out in one contraction!  Such a relief!  My water did not break until her head came out, which turned out to be another little miracle.  I was GBS+ but didn't get to the hospital in time to get the antibiotics.  If my water had broken earlier, they would have had to immediately administer antibiotics to my baby, but staying in the water sac had protected her and instead they just did a 48-hour blood test to make sure she wasn't infected.  I was so thankful that she didn't have to start out her little life with antibiotics that could ruin her gut flora and give her tummy trouble!

After she was out, I kept asking if I could hold her, but her cord was too short to reach my arms.  It seemed like forever until it stopped pulsing and it could be cut and I could have her but oh, once I had her it was worth all the pain!  My Mom said that as I was asking to hold her, my baby turned her head to the sound of my voice as if she knew it already and wanted to get to me also.  New life is so amazing!

If you are interested in any of my other birth stories, here they are:
Baby #4
Baby #3
Baby #2
Baby #1

2 recipes for laboring and post-partum moms:

1.  Laborade -- This is a great drink not only for moms in labor, but for anyone who does sports activities or works out.  I drank this after each contraction and also the first week of nursing when I am ever so thirsty.  I got the idea from THIS original recipe, but added it to coconut water instead of plain water for extra electrolytes and potassium.  It was very easy to throw together... Mark made it for me in just minutes at 3am while we were waiting for his parents to get to our house to stay with the girls so we could go on to the birth center!  I don't love coconut water by itself because it is a little too sweet for me, but the lemons added a nice sour flavor that made this drink the perfect "labor-ade" for me.


Ingredients:
3-4 lemons
1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 tsp real sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Coconut water or just filtered water 

Directions:  Mix well; can keep in fridge and add to 1/2 gallon of coconut water when needed.  Or just add a couple of Tbs to a cup of coconut water.  I'll be honest, we didn't really measure and I think we added more than that.  But it was good and really worked!


2.  Home-made Frozen Witch-Hazel Pads for Postpartum Healing -- My friend gave me this recipe and these are awesome and really help promote healing.


For 4 Pads:4 Tablespoons of witch hazel1 tsp. teaspoon of aloe vera liquid12 drops of lavender oil. 

Directions: open the pad up and then pour the mixture on along pretty much the whole length of the pad. Fold, wrap individually in aluminum foil, put in a ziploc bag, and stick in the freezer.  Use one every couple of hours. The comforting sensation/healing lasts for a good half hour or more with each one

My 4th Birth Story

My baby's birth story starts back late Tuesday night, May 14th (her Daddy's birthday).  He had gone to a late movie with a friend and I had a nice, calm peaceful evening.  I was having a bunch of Braxton Hicks, but I'd been having them for the last couple of months so I really did not think much of them.  2 out of 3 of my girls had been overdue so I really wasn't expecting anything a week before my due date.

  I went to bed earlier than normal (since Mark wasn't there to keep me up) and fell sound asleep.  He woke me up going to bed around 1:30am (Wednesday by this point) all excited about his fun night and promptly fell asleep.  I never did go back to sleep for more than 30 minutes at a time because I started having super strong Braxton Hicks and the baby was kicking and punching me all over and I kept having to go to the bathroom because my body was apparently cleansing itself for labor.  I started getting really scared at this point, because I had not yet re-tested my iron level and knew that if I went into labor, I would have to go to the hospital instead of the birth center.  I was supposed to test the next morning, so I just prayed over and over and over that night that I wouldn't go into real labor until I was cleared for the birth center.

Wednesday morning I was feeling icky and miserable because my stomach was still not right and I had no sleep.  I rushed out to the lab as soon as it opened because I wanted the results of that iron test as soon as possible in case real labor started.  With my other pregnancies, the "cleansing" period had preceded real labor by less than 24 hours.

My OB appointment was at 10:30 that morning and we were taking the girls with us because they wanted to meet the midwife and see where I would have the baby.  I was in so much pain in the car on the 35 minute drive because I had worn my maternity jeans (which I usually love) and they were too tight for the contractions I was experiencing.

My OB appointment went well and my midwife thought I looked great.  Even though the iron results would not be in until the following day, my midwife's assistant did some other checks (eyes, fingernails, etc) and said she thought it must be up so if I went into real labor that night, I could come to the birth center.  I cannot tell you what a relief that was to me!  My midwife asked if I wanted her to check to see if I was dilated but I declined.  I know how quickly that can change and that it is not a good indicator of labor prior to being in real labor.

So I took a nap, took a shower, and went to the chiropractor, fully expecting to go into labor that night. Mark and I enjoyed a nice date night and got some last minute baby things at Target, but I was having too many contractions to sit down and relax when we wanted to get a bite to eat or go look at baby names at Barnes and Nobles.  And I was exhausted by staying up the night before so we went home and I went to bed early.  And my contractions completely stopped!

I woke up the next morning think surely I must be going into labor but it had all stopped.  I panicked a bit, because my parents were going out of town for the weekend the next day and I really wanted my Mom to be at the birth.  But God had given me a little break before real labor began and I just had to accept that.  I started praying that the baby would wait until after my brother's graduation so my parents would not be in another state and miss the birth.  

No contractions on Thursday and I was so thankful.  But Thursday night they started up again and that was the one night that I really did not want to go into labor!  I went to bed early in hopes that they would stop and prayed and prayed that this baby would wait for Grandma to get back in the state.  It worked and Friday and Saturday I felt great with hardly any Braxton Hicks at all!  I thought for sure labor had stopped and this baby was going to join the ranks of my other overdue babies!  We had a lovely afternoon and evening at Mark's parents house and went home and I went to bed without any contractions, getting ready in my mind for church the next day and Karis's birthday celebration that we had planned a little early since I am usually overdue.

Saturday night, I slept soundly until 2:30am (Sunday) when I woke with a start because of a contraction that actually really hurt down low like the real thing!  I was utterly in shock and could not believe it!  I had another one a little bit later and then got up and went to the bathroom to see if they stopped when I walked around.  Nope, they only got stronger.  So I had to wake Mark and start calling everyone.  And he had actually taken a half of a sleeping pill around 1:30 am because he hadn't been able to get to sleep!  I was worried I wouldn't be able to wake him, but once he realized I was serious he sprung into action.  We were all in disbelief because I really had not experienced any labor symptoms since Thursday night. My parents had just gotten back to VA late that night and then I woke them up at 3am telling them to come to the birthing center.  This baby had just been waiting for Grandma!

We tried to take a quick last belly shot before heading to the birth center, but the lighting was weird and this fuzzy picture was all we got:

We got to the birth center around 4:15 and my midwife (Karen)  checked all my vitals and said the baby and I both looked good.  So I started walking around.  My doula got there soon after with her assistant, as well, and things started falling into a routine.  Karen raised the bed so that it was the right height to lean against when a contraction hit.  I would walk til I felt one coming on and then fall against the bed and my support team would spring into action.  They were amazing!  Mark and my two doulas did most of the pushing on my back and hips.  As I was moaning on the bed, one of them would grab one hip and one would grab the other and one would press a hot heating pad on my lower back as hard as possible.  I honestly don't know exactly all they were doing but it really helped.

I cannot state how wonderful it was to have such a nice support team.  My midwife was so calm and supportive, making sure that everything was going smoothly but also pretty much allowing me do my own thing.  My doula was amazing at helping me remember to vocalize really low, relax my shoulders, etc.  And of the course the heat and counter pressure on my lower back and hips helped tremendously. Another thing my doula really helped with was to remind me of my goals.  She knew I wanted to labor in the water through transition but not before because I didn't want to slow down labor.  And she knew that I wanted to turn around so that I could see and help catch the baby.  I would never have done those things without her encouragement because when I am in labor, I kind of get stuck in my routine and find it hard to change.  My doula had to really firmly remind me to go to the birthing tub and then again remind me to turn around when it was time to push so I could help catch the baby.  And I was so glad that she did!  

When I finally got in the water tub, it felt good.  Mainly because the weightlessness of being in the water helped to take some pressure off and the warmth felt really good.  But I have to say that it is not at all the pain reliever that many seem to think... I was glad to be in it but definitely still overwhelmed by the pain and wondering if I could do it by the time it came to push.  But I do not think I could have given birth in the squatting position and helped catch my baby without being in the water so I was very thankful for it!

I was so thankful and proud of my doula and her assistant because I know it must have been hard to reach me and put pressure on my hips and back when I was in that tub, but they sure did!  They worked so hard!  Karen brought out a pitcher and they poured the warm water over my lower back with every contraction.  (I labored in the hands and knees position until it was time to push because that seems to help my back the most.)  We would relax in between contractions and talk about the progress I was making and what was coming next, and then I would moan, "Here it comes!" and they would spring into action.  My doula was ever so encouraging.  I tend to doubt myself and my capability of pushing the baby out when it gets really bad and she was so encouraging and knew just want to say to keep me going.

When the contractions became utterly unbearable and I didn't think I could stand it any longer, I finally asked my midwife to check to see how far I was dilated.  I hate to do it in the beginning because I don't want to be disappointed if it is low and it can change so quickly that it is pointless.  But when I started feeling the urge to push, I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to be wasting my energy.  So she checked me and I was at 9.5!  So Karen said just to start pushing whenever I felt like it.  My doula reminded me to turn around and squat so I would be able to see.

When I finally pushed the baby down low enough to see her crown, we were all amazed that her water bag was still intact!  I could feel it with my fingers and they brought me a mirror so I could look.  It was amazing!  This was really an encouragement to me to keep on pushing!  I felt like this was the hardest baby yet to push out and I didn't realize at the time it was because she was my biggest!   Her head was 14 inches and it did not mold at all... (my dad is a numbers guy and somehow did the math and said that in order to push that out, I should have waited til I was dilated to 11 centimeters instead of the normal 10... that explains my stitches this time around!)  When I finally got her head out, her water bag finally broke and it was the most amazing thing to see that head sticking out!  But then I panicked because I kept pushing but couldn't get the rest of her out!  Usually once the head comes, the rest comes out with just one big push so I couldn't understand it.  But we found out later that her chest measured 14.5 inches -- even bigger than her head!  So that was my trouble.  She finally came out and I got to help catch her.  It was the most amazing moment of my life!

I really think she liked the waterbirth because she came out just as calm and happy as could be.  She was very alert and looking around with great color but it seemed like she hardly even cried about it.  (My dad was in the next room waiting to hear a cry and he said it made him nervous because it just never came!)  But she was perfectly healthy.  She breathed well and didn't even have to be suctioned or anything.  It was amazing.  She also came out looking a lot cleaner than my other babies.

I snuggled with her for about 5 minutes and then we cut the cord.  

After another 5 minutes or so, I needed to push out the placenta.  So I gave the baby to my midwife's assistant (an RN) for measuring and delivered the placenta.  Unfortunately, I had a lot of bleeding so they immediately laid me down and gave me a shot of pitocin, which worked immediately.  (For those of you who might be worried about the safety of a non-hospital birth, most certified midwives keep an arsenal of medical supplies handy in case they need it: pitocin, fluid for dehydration, antibiotics, etc.)

I could look over and see them measuring and checking the baby and my family's excited shouts of "she weighs 9.26 pounds!" and "she got an apgar of 10!" kept me happy til they let me get up and go to the bed to finally have my baby to myself.

I snuggled with her and nursed her for a while and then Karen said that she needed to check my bleeding and see if I needed stitches.  Unfortunately, I had a 2nd degree tear and did.  But Mark got to spend some quality time with his new girl while I got stitched up and cleaned up again.

I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful it was to give birth at the birthing center!  I trusted my midwife so much and it was such a relief to know that she knew my wishes and would only suggest something contrary if she really thought it absolutely necessary.  At my other hospital births, I always felt like I was fighting the doctors (particularly the pediatricians!!) to do the natural thing and with Karen, I knew she actually agreed with my desires and would do her absolute best to fulfill them.  She was such a blessing to me and I am so thankful that God worked everything out so that Susanna came after I was cleared to give birth at the center and that my Mom was able to be there as well.  It was a crazy week for me but I am so thankful the way things worked out!  

My thoughts on making it through labor naturally

I have a friend who recently asked for recommendations for scriptures to meditate on during labor to help get her mind off the pain. I honestly had never thought of such a thing (sad, huh?), but I wrote to her what did help me the most and what scripture I thought would have helped me the most. I thought I'd post my response in case it might be helpful to anyone else hoping to get through childbirth naturally. Having a baby is the most awesome and thrilling (although also the most painful) experience ever and is more than worth the pain!

There were three things that helped me the most when I was in the most pain:

1. Just reminding myself that my body was created to do this! I seriously said over and over in my head to myself, "This is what I was made to do!" Reading the book Ina Mays Guide to Childbirthwas the best thing I did to prepare for the pain. It is very hippy-ish, but after reading all the birth stories you will be totally convinced that you can do it and also have an idea of what to expect so that you won't think that your labor is unusual or more painful than it ought to be and give up.

2. Reminding myself that there will be an end to the pain -- somehow knowing that the pain was only for a short time was a huge help to me. Relief will come! Also, except for during transition, God gives us a break between contractions that helps tremendously. A contraction is utterly miserable, but usually only lasts about a minute and you often get a two minute break. Two minutes may not sound like long, but it is a huge relief when you are in such pain!! Breath a huge sigh of relief and thank God in between contractions for the break and the chance to re-group.

3. Focusing on the baby... imagine snuggling him in your arms! Be thankful for each contraction because it brings you that much closer to holding him! Try not to think in terms of just "enduring" each contraction, because they serve a great purpose and you will end up tensing up and fighting them, rendering them less useful. Use them and help them by swaying your hips slightly. Picture the baby coming further down the birth canal with each contraction. A lot of times I would chant in my head, "she's coming, she's coming!" Each contraction brings you that much closer to your precious little one! So exciting!

So although I didn't really have a scripture, I guess I just focused on being thankful -- thankful that God had created me to do this, that there was relief from the pain, and that I would be holding my baby soon. So I would recommend 1 Thess. 5:18 to meditate on:

"in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"

Pregnancy books and tips

A dear friend of mine recently found out she was pregnant and e-mailed me with some questions about books to read, natural remedies, stretch marks, and maternity clothes. I thought I'd share my response in case it would be helpful to anyone...

I unfortunately didn't find out about this until after the 1st trimester (because I'm sure it would have helped with my horrible morning sickness), but Papaya enzymes are an awesome natural way to settle an upset stomach or to help with heartburn and acid reflux.

My holistic doctor told me that colic in babies is caused by yeast overgrowth and digestive issues in the Mama, so I took tons of probiotics and cut out most all sugar and white flour the last trimester, especially that last month. I don't know if it worked or if I just have a very easy baby, but Abbi had the least tummy trouble of the three :) And Karlie had the most, which makes complete sense because I had the antibiotic during labor with her and that would definitely cause digestive issues. So I'm a believer. I recently read this article that confirmed her advice and gave tips for preventing colic in babies.

I've also read that GER (bad reflux in babies) is caused by a deficiency in B12 so I made sure I ate lots of beef, cheese, and eggs so I would get plenty of that vitamin.

I've read that olive oil can help colicky babies -- I had a friend who let her baby suck on her finger dipped in olive oil after each feeding and it helped.

I recently read that you get morning sickness because increased hormone production uses up cholesterol and the body is unable to produce sufficient bile. One researcher suggested that you eat as many good quality cholesterol rich foods as you can (and it is even better to prepare before conception if possible with at least 3 months of a traditional diet rich in high quality animal fats!) Sip whole raw milk throughout the day to ward off sickness and acupuncture can help a lot as well! Another blogger said that eating legumes helps because the bile binds to soluble fiber and cannot pass pass the intestinal barrier and make you sick. She suggests eating 1/4 cup of beans any time you feel nauseous. I'm thinking that I will be eating a whole lot of hummus next pregnancy! And it is a good thing that I love my raw milk and cheese!

Another cause for morning sickness is magnesium deficiency.  The best idea is to stock up on magnesium before you get pregnant because it is harder to absorb once you area already pregnant.  The best way to absorb magnesium is topically, through a body spray or by soaking in epsom salts.  Please read THIS article and THIS one to get a better idea of magnesium and real food solutions for morning sickness.

I did all my normal natural solutions when pregnant, but I saved oregano oil as a last resort because it is so strong and I could never find any info that definitively said it was ok during pregnancy. I think I only used it for a day if if I got really sick and stopped when I felt better. It is probably fine, but I always err on the side of caution. Plus, oregano oil kills the good bacteria as well and I didn't want to do that unless absolutely necessary. Garlic and Apple Cider Vinegar are perfectly fine and ever so good for you, so they were my stand-by pregnancy remedies :) I don't know as much about Grapefruit Seed Extract, so I saved it for when I was really sick as well. It is probably fine, but I just didn't know for sure.

I've never gotten stretch marks (but don't think I've gotten off easy; varicose veins are much worse because they are very painful!); I think whether or not you get stretch marks depends a lot on how you carry your baby and I have a long torso so my babies don't stick out that far. But I have been pretty careful to put lotion on my belly throughout my pregnancies regardless. I used Palmer's Cocoa Butter stretch mark cream with my first two pregnancies and made my own belly butter with my last pregnancy. I don't have a real recipe... I just melted coconut oil, shea butter, and almond oil on low on the stove and mixed them up and poured it in a jar. If I had to guess, I'd say that I used them respectively in a 3:2:1 ratio. And you really don't have to have the almond oil; the main thing is that you need shea butter to make it more like lotion than just oil. I added some cocoa butter to one batch and it was great, even more thick, but it was a horrible pain to scrape off into the pan and to melt because it was so hard.

Target has absolutely the best nursing tanks ever! And their nursing bras are pretty reasonably priced as well. My favorite place to buy maternity clothes was Old Navy -- they always had stuff in the clearance section. And I got some stuff at Kohl's and Target. Maternity is very expensive, so the best thing is to buy it off season.

If you are hoping for a natural birth,  my other two posts on the topic should be helpful:
My Experience: Medicated v. Natural Childbirth
My Thought On Making It Through Labor Naturally

My top 5 fav pregnancy/baby books are:

Real Food For Mother and Baby by Nina Planck

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg -- I don't agree with everything she says, but she does have good ideas for soothing baby and getting baby on a good sleep/wake/eat schedule, etc. I'm more of a "feed on demand" kind of Mama, but a loose schedule is very helpful in knowing whether a baby is fussing because she is hungry or simply tired. Some good nursing tips are found HERE.

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth -- very "crunchy," but a must-read during your last month of pregnancy if you decide to give birth without meds :) I re-read it with every baby during that last month to inspire me to know that I can do it!

Mothering Magazine's Having a Baby Naturally

Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding

Other good reads:

The Christian Childbirth Handbook by Vanderlaan

The Natural Pregnancy Book: Herbs, Nutrtion, and other Holistic Choices by Rommand Gaskin

The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Goer

Happiest Baby On the Block by Karp -- I don't agree with the whole "missing 4th trimester concept" but it does have other great info on having a happy baby

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Weissbluth -- fabulous book on how babies/children sleep and how much/when they need it. Good resource to have on hand

How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor by Mendelsohn -- small, fat book -- good resource to have on hand to diagnose and treat ailments naturally rather than going to the doctor at the first sign of a fever

My 3rd birth story

Although I never thought that Abbi Grace would come after her due date, it was truly the perfect timing and I praise God for it!

Some examples of why I now see that God's timing was perfect:

1. She stayed put during the flu and long recovery.

2. Although I really wanted her to come while my parents were here over the weekend, it would have been an impossible situation for Mark. Many of his coaches and workers came down with the flu and it turned out to be one of the busiest and most stressful weekends of work for him. He told me later on that he had no idea how he would have been able to cover things had I gone into labor that weekend!

3. Both sets of grandparents were already here so my girls were taken care of and no one had to travel in the middle of the night!

4. We all got a good night's sleep before labor began! With both Karis and Karlie, I labored overnight and was so utterly exhausted that it was hard to keep my eyes open to enjoy my new baby. This time, although I was physically exhausted, I didn't have that lingering, miserable headache due to sleep deprivation and it made such a difference!

So, here is the story... 

Well, my due date came and went. The baby still had not dropped in the least! My parents had been here for the weekend, which was wonderful, but I told them to go on home Sunday afternoon because I wasn't showing any signs of labor. I had some mild contractions Sunday night during the Superbowl that were more real (crampy rather than just a tightening) but nothing painful or regular at all, so I went on to bed, feeling like this baby would never come.

Around 2am I woke up completely, having some more contractions and feeling sick to my stomach. Was that because of the mad amounts of sausage-rotel dip I ate during the Superbowl, or was my body cleansing itself to get ready for labor? After a couple hours of not being able to go back to sleep due to contractions and bathroom runs, I figured that Abbi might actually be on the way!

I called my parents and Mark's in the morning before they left for work just to tell them that I *might* be in the beginning stages of labor so they could keep their suitcases in the car. I knew that with Karlie, it took my body about 24 hours of mild "real" contractions and feeling sick before the super-painful, "go-to-the-hospital" type of labor actually commenced. I was worried that the contractions would slow down once I got moving and didn't want them all coming if it was a false alarm. So I encouraged them to wait.

But since I was over-due and they didn't want to be making any "middle of the night" long drives, both of our parents decided to go ahead and come. Mark's parents, who were going to keep the girls for us, left right away. My folks were going to leave after work unless we called and said things were moving faster. But sure enough, once I got moving around, the contractions faded. I was sure Mark's parents' had come for no reason.

They got to our house by naptime, and I was so thankful! I was exhausted since I had been up sick the night before and I was able to take a long nap. I also took a LONG, brisk walk trying to move things along and a long, hot shower just because it felt so good. I would not have been able to do any of those things had Mark's parents not come early. But I felt really bad that they had come, because the contractions had slowed down almost completely and I was just sure it was a false alarm! I called my parents and told them not to worry about coming because I just wasn't having contractions anymore. Too late; they had already booked the hotel room beside the hospital for the night and they were getting in the car ready to come.

I went to bed that night around 8:30 just because I was so tired. Every time I woke up, I prayed for contractions because I really wanted Abbi to come while they were here. But I felt nothing.Later on, I realized what a blessing it had been to get a break from the contractions because I actually got a full 8 hours of sleep before real labor began!

Around 5:00, I woke up with contractions that actually really, really hurt! I knew they were the real thing, but they weren't close enough together to be sure she was coming right away. I got up to see if they would still come if I walked around and to call my doula. Mark's Mom heard me and started to time my contractions. They were 10 minutes apart, and after just a couple of bounces on the exercise ball, they started coming at 5, then, 3, then 2 minutes apart! It was amazing how fast they changed and how painful they got so quickly! I woke Mark, and we quickly gathered our things and left for the hospital around 6am.

We had a 40 minute drive to the hospital, and it was excruciating! I had switched hospitals so I could use a midwife group that was more happy about my "natural"birth plan and it was the wisest decision that I had made. Instead of a humongous "business-like" hospital that had their own routine and formula for births, this tiny hospital truly catered to EVERYTHING in my birth plan. Not one person walked in the door that had not read it, and they kindly asked before doing ANYTHING that wasn't in the plan. I was utterly amazed! They really left us alone to labor as we wished, which is what I wanted. I did have to let them monitor the baby's heart-beat for just 10 minutes when I first got there, but I never even saw anyone after that!

We got in the hospital room right around 7am. My doula got there shortly after we did, and as my husband later said, "That was the best money ever spent!" Oh, she was so wonderful! As soon as I got off the baby monitor, we started walking the halls. I would walk till a contraction hit, and then lean against the wall while she applied strong counter-pressure to my back. I cannot tell you how much it helped!!! We did this for about an hour, until I had a double contraction (One that never completely ended before it peaked again) and pretty much passed out.

They got me a wheel chair and we called for the nurse to check me since it looked like I was starting to go through transition. (This was the first time I had been checked since I wrote in my birth plan that I didn't want unnecessary checks.) I was at 8, and definitely going through transition. The only position that I could handle was on my hands and knees. Transition is always the worst part for me, because although pushing is unbelievably painful, there is an excitement and adrenaline that keeps you going as you feel the baby traveling down the birth canal -- utterly amazing! Plus, you just have to keep pushing to stop the pain :) But transition is just flat out horrible! I started asking if I could push and they just said to do whatever I felt like. We called for the midwife at this point (whom we had not even seen yet!) She checked me and my water broke and things really started moving!

I was very surprised that the nurse and midwife pretty much said nothing as I labored. In both of my other births, they would tell me when to push and hold my breath, etc. But this time they let me just be in tune with my body and contractions and pushing when Ifelt like I needed to. It was hard for me at first to get the hang of it because the pain was so intense, but once I got control of myself, it was utterly amazing (although excruciating) to feel how my contractions and pushing moved the baby down the birth canal. I was much more focused and it also helped me not to tear this time. I remember needing encouragement, though, and asking them to talk to me, to tell me when they saw the baby's head crown and tell me what her hair looked like :) I remember the last contraction before actually pushing her out and being so disappointed that it ended before I could get her out because she felt so close!

The next contraction was enough to do it and I simply cannot describe the utter joy and relief I felt as they immediately passed the baby up to me and let me hold her. It is such an amazing moment and I tear up just thinking about it! Having a baby is undoubtedly the most painful thing I can ever imagine, but also the most miraculous! During labor, I aways tell myself to do myself a favor and just adopt next time, but then after holding the baby for the first time, I want to do it again and again and again because there is nothing as amazing and wonderful in the world!

Abbi was born very alert and wanting to suck immediately. And she didn't want to stop! She honestly nursed for the first 2 hours of her life! I was amazed because with Karis, I had the epidural and she was too groggy to nurse long. And Karlie was just too interested in looking around at her new world to nurse for long. But Abbi wanted to suck and she got mad overtime I tried to take her off :) I know she wasn't getting anything out of me after the first bit, but it was such a comfort to her and I knew that it would help my milk come in quickly and my uterus contract back to where it was before.

I cannot praise this little hospital enough. They really left us alone as much as we wanted and it was such a contrast to my other 2 births. They even told me that if I wanted to go home that evening (just 12 hours after giving birth!), that I could! We wanted to, but I was so light-headed after losing all that blood that I passed out the first time I tried to stand up and go to the bathroom. So we decided to stay one night so I could call for help if I needed it. The nurse offered to get orders from my doctor to leave us alone all night so that we wouldn't get woken up every hour to do checks like they normally do. It was amazing!

Some thoughts as I look back:

1. I wrote a really long Birth Plan and I was worried that it might be too long. But they read every word and seemed to really be respectful of my wishes and I was glad that I had put everything in there. For example, when I got there, they never even asked me to put on the hospital gown or to check to see if I had dilated. They really just left me alone til I called, and I appreciated that so much!

2. I asked them to just give Abbi a light sponge bath with warm water to get the blood off instead of using the chemical-laden baby soap so that the protective vernix layer on her skin would stay as long as possible. I really think that it helped her skin in general so much because my other girls had peeling skin for probably two weeks, while Abbi's skin looked pretty normal after only 2 days.

3. A doula is well worth the money every time!!!!! We thought about not paying for one since Mark had learned some things last time, but I am ever so glad that we did. It was such a relief to know that Jamie was there and knew what I was going through and how to help me. Then pain relief she brought was amazing, as well as the security in knowing she could deliver the baby if the midwife didn't show up in time. I had a real fear of them telling me to "wait" to push because the doctor wasn't ready, and if you don't have pain meds, that just isn't possible! My doula was worth every penny and more!

4. I really liked wearing my own clothes vs. that horrible hospital gown :)

5. A small hospital doesn't give you a menu and the food is horrible -- I was so thankful that Cracker Barrel was right next door and that I had parents to get me good food :) I was also really thankful for the good snacks I had packed.

6. My Mom and doula reminded me to drink my water/coconut water mixture after every contraction and it really helped to stay hydrated like that! I would never have remembered on my own.

7. My intense labors have thankfully decreased in time by almost 50% each baby. With Karis, I labored for 15 hours, with Karlie, it was 8 hours, sand with Abbi, it was 4. (Of course, that does not include the day (s) before where my body is in the beginning stages of labor and cleansing itself and having contractions to prepare for the big moment :)

8. While the labors grow thankfully shorter, the after-labor contractions grow much more painful and last a lot longer. With Karis, I really only remember a few light contractions after birth. With Karlie, they maybe lasted for several hours. But with my third, they lasted several days and really hurt a lot! I honestly had trouble sleeping the first 2 nights because the contractions hurt so badly and kept me uncomfortable. Of course, part of that is because I didn't take any pain meeds with Karlie and Abbi, so I felt it more. But they definitely didn't last this long with Karlie!

9. If you have a natural birth, don't ever push on your back! It is so much more painful and you are so much more likely to tear. That was the main reason why I switched to a mid-wife group and it made such a difference. I was so much more comfortable (if you can be comfortable in labor - Ha!) and able to keep myself from tearing on my hands and knees.

10. Having a baby is undoubtedly the most painful and thrilling experience that I have ever had. It is worth every second of nine months of feeling sick and uncomfortable and in pain! I am utterly in awe at God's miracle of birth. I praise God for His perfect timing and the way He answered such specific prayers that I had about the birth.

My Experience: Medicated vs. Natural Birth

I feel like I learned a lot about different options during labor and delivery and hope this post might help some future Moms make wise choices and avoid some mistakes I made. With my first delivery, I opted to take the epidural and super pain meds they gave me after delivery (you can read about it HERE). After much research and reading, I decided that it would be better for the baby and for myself if I gave birth naturally the second time. I’m not going to go into all those reasons right now; I’m not trying to persuade anyone. (Mainly because I don't want you cursing my name when you go through transition, ha, ha:) It has to be a decision you make on your own; not because someone else did it. I would just encourage you to do your own reading. Some books that I found helpful: THIS one and THIS one. THIS website was very helpful as well as I searched about specific issues and was writing my birth plan. 

The major differences:

1. I will admit up front that the epidural made the last part of my first birth a very nice experience. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect after the meds kicked in and thought that pushing was actually enjoyable and so exciting! In contrast, without the epidural, I was pushing more out of desperation, to get the pain to end! Also, the first time it took them an hour to sew me up because I had a 4th degree tear. I was enjoying my new baby and didn’t even know they were giving me stitches until I heard my Mom asked the doc how many stitches she was giving me. This time, I only got a 2nd degree tear, but it was extremely uncomfortable and painful while they were stitching me up. (I did receive localized numbing after the birth where they were stitching, but it still hurt!) But other than the huge pain issue, which I think anyone can manage to survive if I did :) , going naturally was a far better experience in every way.

2. Although many will say that an epidural will not slow down labor, I definitely don’t agree. I went from a 15 hour labor the first time to a 6 hour labor the 2nd time. I know that much of that was due to this being my second baby and my body knowing more what to do, but I really think it would have been a longer labor had I taken the epidural. Also, with the epidural I would not have been able to walk, and when I walked the halls I went from 4 cm to 8cm in 45 min. I think I would have stalled at 4cm for who knows how long if I hadn’t been able to walk!

3. I really think that being able to control my pushing more helped me to tear less the second time. The first time, my doc actually told me not to push hard that last push, but I couldn’t feel how hard I was pushing! But this time (after the initial shock of how powerful the contractions were) I was able to control my pushing and I didn’t tear as much.

4. I cannot tell you how much easier the recovery was without the epidural! I could walk immediately (versus not even be able to feel my legs.) I took a shower within a couple of hours (versus the next day) which made me feel so much better!!! I could actually feel when I needed to go to the bathroom (which was a huge issue for me last time – the epidural and super pain meds I received the first time totally stopped me up for over a week!) And believe it or not, I think going naturally actually made me lose more weight at the hospital: I gained about 20 pounds both pregnancies. The first time, I lost 10 at the hospital and the other 10 later. This time I lost all 20 at the hospital. I had read previously that some women actually gain weight at the hospital because of all the fluids they receive. I really think it was because I didn’t have that IV pumping fluids into me the whole time that I lost so much weight immediately. And because I was able to be more mobile more quickly. Lastly, with my first birth I experienced an unbelievable pressure headache about a week after Karis was born that lasted almost a week. Every time I leaned over the slightest bit, I thought my head was going to explode! It was bad enough that I almost passed out in Walmart when I bent down to pick up a can of food. After reading about epidurals, I really think the headache came from that. I didn't get any pressure headache this time at all since I wasn't on any pain meds!

Some tips I learned if you want to give birth naturally:

1. Do your research! You have to be fully convinced that this is the only way or you will give in when the pain hits. If you know you definitely want to give birth naturally, read THIS book. It was a little weird in parts, but really helps you believe that giving birth is a natural process and that every woman can do it. Half of the book is devoted to stories of women who gave birth naturally and it is just so interesting and encouraging! And if you are like me and your birth plan opts out of some routine shots and drops for your baby, bring a copy of your reasons to the hospital with you. I was seriously confronted on my birth plan AFTER delivery. Come on, I could hardly remember my own birthday after all that sleep deprivation, hard work, and excruciating pain, let alone my research! I was confronted immediately after birth and also woken up around 6:30 am the next morning by a phone call from the pediatrician’s office asking why I had refused normal shots and drops. Give me a break! I finally had to say, “I’m sorry; I am so tired that I honestly don’t remember exactly why I decided to forgo those drops, but I know I did my research and had my reasons so I am going to stick with my birth plan.” It would definitely have been easier if I had brought copies of my research with me.

2. Talk about it. Tell everyone you plan to do it naturally. If you are like me (not the least bit brave, but a good bit prideful and stubborn :), this really works. I actually talked about it so much that in my mind, pain meds were simply not an option. I can honestly say that I never even once considered asking for pain meds. Even when going through the incredible pain of transition, asking for meds never even ran through my head.

3. Consider hiring a doula. Yes, they are expensive – try to find a friend or a doula-in-training who will give you a lower price. I was lucky enough to find a certified doula who would give me a break in price because I opted out of the pre-labor visits and post-partum visit, and because it was my 2nd birth so she knew it wouldn’t take as long. Instead of the normal $550, she only charged me $250. Was she worth it? Every penny! My husband was not keen on shelling out that much money at first, but afterwards he said over and over how glad he was that she was there. (Especially since he pretty much zonked out when I went through transition and was on the floor with smelling salts the whole time I was pushing! lol :) And my Mom, who got there right before I went through transition, said she was amazed at how much more calm and relaxed I was than with my first labor. The main thing that the doula did was to help me relax. Which might not sound like much, but it was amazing the difference it made in the pain! It wasn't any weird relaxation technique -- she basically would just tell me which body parts she saw me tensing up. Usually, my shoulders made the most difference. As soon as she would tell me to relax my shoulders, and I did, I would feel intense relief. She also taught me how to breathe though the contractions like they were waves. Which does sound weird, I know, but once again, it helped somehow. I can't really explain it, but it was a huge difference from when I tried to do it by myself with Karis. And she showed Mark how to massage my back muscles that were tense from the contractions. I know these may sound like little things, but when you are in that much pain, they help a great deal! Now we probably won’t hire a doula again, since she taught Mark how to do it all, but for the first time, it was well worth the money.

4. Lastly, I would greatly recommend that you give birth at a birthing center that utilizes midwives or just do a home birth with a midwife. This is definitely going to be my plan next time and here are some examples of why:

A midwife will encourage a natural birth rather than discourage it: When I arrived at the hospital, they asked me to give my pain level a number, with ten being the highest. (I hate that question, by the way :) I had labored at home as long as possible and was honestly in more pain than ever in my life, so I said 9. The nurse (who had just read my birth plan) looked at me and said, “Well if it’s a 9 now, then you ought to go ahead and take the epidural right now because there is no way you are going to make it without pain meds because its going to get a whole lot worse!” Not very encouraging for someone who honestly didn’t know how she could handle much more pain!

I believe that the nurses and doctors would rather you be medicated because you are a lot easier to handle. When I first told the various doctors at my OB office that I wanted to go naturally, they all tried to talk me out of it! I couldn’t understand why until I was in the delivery room. When I had the epidural, I was calm and could follow their directions easily. In fact, my OB was helping another lady give birth so I did the majority of my pushing with the nurse. When Karis’ head crested, the nurse instructed me to stop and wait for the doc to come in. It was about 10 minutes before she was there and I could continue. There is no way in the world I would have been able to wait for the doc without the epidural! It was hard enough to wait for the next contraction because I was so desperate to get her out so the pain would end! And this time, it took me quite a while to even hear what they were telling me to do once I went through transition. I was so overcome with the pain at first that I tensed up and let out my breath in little spurts instead of holding it. And it really took a couple of minutes before I could even hear what they wanted me to do, let alone be able to follow it! I remember saying “I’m sorry” several times because I knew they were giving me directions but I couldn’t focus enough to follow. It just took me a while to get myself together to be able to push. So I understand why it is easier for the hospital staff if you are medicated.

A midwife is also more experienced and comfortable with different laboring positions. Did you know that lying on your back with your feet up in the air is one of the most painful positions possible for a woman in labor? My baby was turned slightly so to make her go the right way, they helped me to a hands and knees position. It worked, and (after the pain of getting there) I actually felt a lot more comfortable in that position. My doctor let me try pushing in that position for one or two contractions, but then she said that she just couldn’t help me as much in that position. So I pushed the rest of the time in the “normal” position. I really think a mid-wife would have been comfortable with me in other positions and I would have been way more comfortable as well!

Finally, no matter what kind of birth you want to have, my biggest advice is to pray about it. Pray specifically about every single detail you are concerned with. One of my biggest concerns actually had nothing to do with the actual birth – it was about my toddler. Her grandparents (who are really the only ones who ever babysit) live 3 hours away. I was so worried that my water would break again and we would have to rush to the hospital and drop her off with someone that had never taken care of her. I prayed about the timing of this birth pretty much every day. And it was amazing the way God worked it out. I was so sick the day I went into labor that her grandparents came down to help out, not even knowing I was going to the hospital that night! So they were already there when we left! Isn’t God amazing the way he answers prayers! Another example of God's goodness: that discouraging nurse who told me I ought to just take the epidural changed shifts right before I went through transition. And the new nurse was absolutely wonderful! God knew I definitely needed someone nice and encouraging through the most painful part. I may not have had everything go exactly as I had planned and hoped, but I definitely saw God’s faithfulness and provision throughout my labor and delivery.

My 2nd Birth Story

Several of you have asked about how this labor and delivery compared to my first, since I did it naturally without any pain meds this time. So I decided to just write out exactly what happened this time, and then tomorrow, I will give my thoughts on the two births. Just a warning: this is a birth story and not for the faint-hearted. And its pretty long. If you are a guy, just skip this post and scroll down to the pics.

On Friday, January 16th, I woke up feeling completely normal. I walked into the kitchen to get breakfast, and I immediately started feeling sick to my stomach. I tried to continue on with my day, taking Karis to soccer. While there, my nausea continued and my Braxton Hicks contractions (which I had been having for the past 3 weeks) seemed stronger. But I started feeling achy and having chills like I had a flu virus or something, so I really thought I was just getting sick. (Keep in mind that with Karis’ birth, my labor began with my water breaking rather than normal signs of labor, so I really didn’t know what my body’s signs of labor were). Karis was 5 days overdue and I was still a week before my due date, so I really didn't think that I would go into labor soon. By lunchtime, I realized that I simply could not take care of Karis by myself -- I just felt so achy and nauseous. I got her down for a nap and called Mark to come home early from work because I just couldn't keep up with her. He called his parents to come down to help me with Karis the next day because on the weekends he works all night long and has to sleep all day Saturday.

That afternoon, I only felt worse and my contractions seemed to grow much stronger, but they weren't consistent enough to make me think it was labor. It crossed my mind, but I was actually praying that it wasn't time yet because I didn't want to go into labor all weak and sick, especially since I was determined to do it without the epidural! I really thought I was coming down with the flu because I couldn't even walk around without feeling light-headed.

I went to bed about 8:00 and actually slept a little, but soon the contractions started waking me up. I finally just gave up and got out of bed at 10 pm when Mark's folks got here. I knew the contractions were definitely stronger and hurt my back way more than the Braxton hicks, but I was still afraid to tell Mark to stay home from work. (So silly!) So he left at 10:30 pm and I tried to get some sleep. Impossible! These contractions were getting stronger and closer together. I was kicking myself for telling Mark to go onto work.

I gave up on sleep, and just tried to distract myself by fooling around on the computer and gathering everything on my list for the hospital. And the weird thing was, all my flu-like symptoms had magically disappeared. I had the energy to walk around and bounce around on my birthing ball! Around 2:00 am the contractions were so close and strong that I knew we would be going to hospital soon. I had really wanted to labor as long as possible at home, but Mark was working about 30 minutes away, right near the hospital. I wanted so badly to be with him, but it would be silly for him to drive back to the house since I would be leaving for the hospital so soon. Luckily, Mark's Mom woke up and kept me company and timed my contractions for me. Around 3:30, Mark's Mom started getting worried that if I waited any longer, I would be having the baby in the car (ha, ha, I wish it had happened that fast! :), so we decided that Mark's Dad would take me on to the hospital and Mark and my doula would meet us there.

When I got to the hospital, I was having a contraction when the nurse came to take me to triage. She took one look at me and decided to go ahead and put me in a birthing room instead. I was disappointed, though, to find that I was only at 4 cm. I wanted to get up and walk, but they wanted me hooked up to everything initially to make sure everything was fine. This is where I got frustrated. I had given them my birth plan which clearly stated how I wanted to move freely about, but every time I asked to be unhooked, they had some excuse for needing to continue to monitor me. Plus, I was GBS positive, so I had to have that antibiotic IV for an hour. So things were not quite what I had hoped, but I knew God was in control and it would all work out.

For whatever (I think ridiculous) reasons, it was at least 2 hours before the nurses finally unhooked me and I could walk around to try to speed things up. They warned me to stay within sight of them because the baby was so low that they were afraid she would just come right out while walking. I wish it had been that easy, ha, ha! I speed walked in between contractions and Mark held me up while I endured the contractions. My doula helped a great deal throughout my labor, but I’ll write more about that in my post tomorrow.

After about 45 minutes of walking, the nurses wanted to check me again and I was 8 cm!They were excited, but I was utterly exhausted and had hoped it was time to push. The doctor came in and said that I was so close and if she broke my water, she was sure I would go to 10 immediately. I thought about it for a couple of minutes because originally I had not wanted them to break my water. But the main reason for that was because once my water breaks, the hospital staff usually only gives you 12 hours before demanding to give you pitocin, which I did not want! (With Karis, they told me I had one more hour to progress or they would give me the pitocin. We all prayed and when they came back to give it to me, I was at 10!) But it didn’t sound like there was any chance of me being in labor that long this time, so I agreed to let her break my water.

Immediately, I hit the transition phase and I cannot describe to you the intense power of the contractions at that point. Definitely pain, but even more so, power. It was unbelievable. I remember thinking that next time we should definitely just adopt and moaning, “I have to push! I have to push!” The nurses told me not to, but the urge to push was overwhelming.They checked me and I was at 9. The nurse said she felt Karlie’s ear and she was turned slightly wrong so I needed to change positions to make her turn. Somehow we managed to move me around and immediately she turned and it was time to push!

Karlie Sue DeLong finally arrived at 8:04 am and as soon as she was in my arms I knew I wanted to do this again. And again. And perhaps and again and again! Even though I was in serious pain as the doc was stitching me up, holding her in my arms made it all worthwhile!Its amazing how much a person can love a tiny little baby at first sight!